The Wave
from The German Of Tiedge
time
existence
ode
reflective
"Whither, thou turbid wave? Whither, with so much haste, As if a thief wert thou?" "I am the Wave of Life, Stained with my margin's dust; From the struggle and the strife Of the narrow stream I fly To the Sea's immensity, To wash from me the slime Of the muddy banks of Time."
The Wave - meaning Summary
Journey from Stream to Sea
The poem personifies a turbulent wave that flees a confined, muddy stream toward the open sea. Speaking as the "Wave of Life," it frames earthly existence as stained by struggle and bounded time. The wave’s onward rush expresses a yearning for purification and expansion—escaping narrow constraints to merge with a larger, restorative whole. The brief dialogue emphasizes motion, renewal, and the contrast between limitation and immensity.
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